Pray with concentration…
If you seek after prayer with concentration, then you will surely find prayer. Nothing is more essential to prayer than concentration. Do all that you can to acquire it.
–Evagrius Ponticus (345-399)
Spiritual life…
The first stage of the spiritual life, the beginning of it all, is to gain some control over the passions. The second stage is to devote oneself to the vocal recitation of the psalms, for when the passions have been calmed and prayer has brought some order in our quest for pleasure, then the psalms can bring us great delight, and they are pleasing in God’s sight. The third stage is to pray with our mind. The fourth is when we ascend to contemplation.
–Saint Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022)
Pray with fear and trembling…
Pray with fear and trembling, and with a watchful and vigilant mind, that your prayer might be acceptable to the Lord;
–Saint Theodorus the Ascetic (Seventh Century)
A life of discipleship…
If you want a life of discipleship, do not allow the desire for material possessions to get a grip on you. A disciple with many possessions is like a ship that has been too heavily laden. It is lashed by the storms of cares and sinks in the deep waters of distress. The love of money gives birth to many evil obsessions and has rightly been called the “root of all evil.” [1 TIM. 6:10]
–Saint Theodorus the Ascetic (Seventh Century)
Our salvation lies in mercy…
With a modest mind and a humble heart, let us repeat over and again the prayer that the great saint Arsenios used to offer to the Lord:
“My God, do not abandon me, though I have done nothing good in your sight, but because you are compassionate, grant me the power to make a start.”
And how true it is that all our salvation lies in the mercy, and in the deep love, that God has for us. To him be glory, dominion, and worship.
–Saint Theodorus the Ascetic (Seventh Century)
Receive that gift…
The deeper our faith, the stronger our hope, the greater our desire, the larger will be our capacity to receive that gift, which is very great indeed. No eye has seen it; it has no color. No ear has heard it; it has no sound. It has not entered man’s heart; man’s heart must enter into it.
— Saint Augustine (354-430)
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